Shoe.



\ 10.714,43. Y Patented Nov. 25, |9u|2.

E. Buss.

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I (Applcian filed Apr. 214902. (No Model.)

11F-ICE.

ATENT ELMER J. BLISS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE.

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming part of Letters' Parent No. 714,439, dated November 25, 190e.

Application led April 26, 1902.` Serial No. 104,860. (No model.)

To all whom ii; may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELMER J. BLISS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, county of Suolk, Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boots and shoes, and is in tended to provide a means for aording an inspection or examination of the sole of the boot or shoe after it is ready for the market, so that the purchaser may be able to determine or ascertain the quality or grade of leather used in said sole, but withoutA interfering with the finished and polished ap` pearance that the trade demands in shoes that are to be exhibited to customers.

To this end ,my invention comprises aboot or shoe sole having secured thereto a remov able strip or piece of material before any polishing or nishing composition is applied to the natural soie-leather,after which the nishing compound is applied over the exposed surface of the sole and the strip, the strip serving to protect that part of the sole beneath it from coloring or change, it being arranged to be easily removed or turned up to expose the original surface beneath.l

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which I have shown a bottom plan View of a shoe, showing a mode of applying the strip, the strip being partly turned back to show the unstained surface beneath. i

The gist of the invention consists in applying to any suitable part of the sole or bottom of the shoe a a protecting-strip b, which is pasted to the sole, the paste being preferably applied onlyat the edges of the strip. When thestrip has been rubbed down smooth, so as to make it lie fiat and adhere to the l bottom of the shoe, the finishing stain or composition of any desired color is applied in the `usual or well-known manner, and the bottom is then burnished'or rubbed in the usual l fashion to give it the high polish and stylish appearance commonly found in shoes. The

shoe in this condition does not dier, essentially, in appearance from other shoes of the o same grade when exposed for sale.

As is well known to the trade, after the finishing composition has been applied to a shoe it is impracticable to ascertain much about the quality of the sole-leather, whether it be a cheap grade of hemlock-tanned leather or whether it be the finest grade of oak-tanned sole-leather. By the use of my device the salesman can readily satisfy the prospective purchaser by deftly inserting beneath the pasted edge of the strip the point of a knife or other instrument, so as to turn back a part of the strip. Of course the part underneath having been fully protected from the stain or finishing composition retains its original color and appearance, so that it is possible for the customer to ascertain the quality and nature of the sole-leather employed in the boot or shoe. After this examination has been made the gummed or pasted strip can be again stuck down in place and the shoe presents the same appearance as before. By this means the palming o of the cheap grades of sole-leather in place of the best grades can be prevented, as the customer can be assured by examina= tion as to the correctness of representations made, and this, too, Without injuring or in any way detracting from the appearance of the shoe. Of course-the size and shape of the strip is in no way material, the essential idea being to apply the strip so as to cover over an unfinished portion of the sole in its original condition or state in order to preserve it from the action of the finishing composition for the purpose of inspection.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- A shoe, a portion of the bottom of which is unfinished, and a strip of material adhering to said bottom so as to cover the said unfinished portion, said strip being removable to permit inspection of the unfinished portion, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of April, 1902.

ELMER J. BLISS.

In presence of- GEO. N. GoDDARD, R. W. SNoWDoN. 

